Teaching English Overseas, a way to Escape the Economic Downturn

October 07, 2010 Editor 1 Comment

Fly off to career opportunities overseas. Image by Marshall Astor - Food Pornographer via Flickr

The labor market in many of the world industrialized and western nations has been difficult to say the least in the last few years. Countless numbers of people have lost there jobs and some even losing their homes. With the labor market so difficult and the social safety net seemingly lacking teaching overseas has become an even more attractive option to many people.

Teaching overseas has long been a career route of recent graduates looking to travel and be paid at the same time. There is also a large group of teachers who view it as a long term career choice. Now there could be a new group those unable to find suitable employment in their home nation.

Companies operating English schools have generally escaped much of the problems associated with the recession, with education still being high on the list of priorities for parents and Students. There have been some noticeable instances where the global market for English teachers has been effected by the global down turn (failure of several large companies operating English academies in Japan) however demand for teachers is still strong.

Reasons to Consider Teaching Overseas

Teaching ESL is not the best paid job in the world however certain locations can offer distinct advantages. In several locations such as Korea and Japan you earn far more than you will spend (even without strict budgeting). Using Korea as an example it does not take a huge amount of effort to be able to send around $1000(US) home each month and still have a good standard of living. This may not be a huge sum of money however it can keep the credit and loan companies at bay. In Korea your accommodations will generally be paid for and income tax is around 3-5% so your only expense are utilities and day to day living costs so the more frugally you live the more you can save.

As mentioned previously there is a large availability of work so even with no experience you should be able to find a position. Obviously the more the skills and experience you have is relevant to teaching the better the job and salary you can get.

(see our article “Benefits of teaching English abroad” to find out more about the advantages of teaching ESL)

Can I Teach English Overseas?

Obviously there are requirements that can restrict your opportunity to teach overseas. Generally you will be required to have a college degree in any subject, however some nations do allow the issuing of Visa’s to those without a degree, however your choice of destination will be limited. If you have a criminal record it is also highly unlikely you will be issued a Visa. You do not generally have to have a teaching qualification although this would help and increase your job prospects and earning potential.

Is Teaching Overseas Right for me?

Teaching overseas is not for everyone. Adjusting to a new culture can be difficult and daunting. Living in a foreign culture can take you out of your comfort zone and force you in to new situations. By doing your research and knowing what to expect in your chosen destination you can lower your chances of culture shock

To find out more about how to get a job teaching overseas read our article “How to get a job teaching overseas”